Automatic mechanism for feeding animals



(No Model.)

B, W'ESSELLS. Automatic Mepha nismfor Feedin .No 242,724.

g Animals.- Patented'l une 7,188I.

- .INNR: M

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE WESSELLS, OF PEEKSKILL, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC MECHANISM FOR FEEDING ANIMALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 242,724, dated June 7, 1881. Application filed March 17, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE WESSELLS, of- Peekskill, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Mechanism for Feeding Horses and other Animals, of which the following is a specification.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of myimprovement, partly in section, through the line 00 m, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the same, taken through the line y y y, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the clock-work attachment. Fig. 4. is a side elevation of a part of the trip mechanism. Fig. 5 is a sectional front elevation of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

' The object of this invention is to promote convenience in feeding horses. i

A represents a hopper, which is designed to be placed in a room above the stable or within the stable at a suitable height above the manger.

B is a spout or chute leading from the hopper A to, or nearly to, the manger G.

The hopper A is provided with a sliding bottom, 1), which has an aperture formed in it, so that when the said slide is pushed in the hopper A will be closed, and when the slide is drawn out the hopper will be opened, and its contents allowed to escape through the chute B into the manger O.

To the sliding bottom I) is attached a cord or chain, E, which passes over guide-pulleys F, pivoted to the frame of the stable, or to other suitable support. The other end of the cord E is attached to the slide-bottom D of another hopper, A, or to some other suitable support. The cord E also passes around a pulley, G, pivoted to a weight, H, or through an eye formed in or attached to the said weight H, so that when the gravityof the weight H is thrown upon the cord E, the tension of the said cord will draw the slide D forward and allow'the feed to pass from the hopperA to the manger C. One, two, three, or more hopper-bottoms, D, may be connected with the one cord E, so that all the hoppers will be opened by the one weight H. The weight H should be increased in size as each additional hopper-bottom is con- ;nected with the cord E.

To the weight H is attached the end of a cord, I, which is wound around and its other end attached to a shaft. spool, or drum, J. The spool J is pivoted to a frame, K, which is designed to be attached to a clock-case, Q, below the clock-works, and in the position usually occupied by the alarm in an alarm-clock. To one end of the spool J is attached or upon it is formed a ratchet-wheel, L, with the teeth of which engages a lever-pawl, M. The pawl M is pivoted to the frame K, and its engaging end is held away from the ratchet-wheel L by a spiral or other spring, N, connected with the rear end of the said pawl andwith the frame K.

To the rear end of the lever-pawl M is attached the lower end of a wire or cord, 0, the

upper end of which is attached to a trip-lever,

P. The trip-lever P is pivoted at its rear end to the clock-case Q, or to the frame of the clock works, and its forward end rests upon a singletoothed trip-wheel, S, placed upon the hourhand post R of the clock-work. The trip-lever P and single-toothed trip-wheel S are parts of an ordinary clock alarm. With the singletoothed tripwheel S is designed to be connected a dial-plate, T, in the same manner as in an ordinary clock-alarm, for convenience in setting the mechanism to operate at any desired time. The forward journal of the spool J is squared, to receive a key for winding up the cord I to raise the weight H in setting the mechanism.

U is a chute leading from the room above the stable to the manger G, for convenience in supplying the horse with hay.

In thelower part of the chute U, or just above the manger O, is form an opening, V, through which the horse has access to the bay. The opening V is covered by a slide, W, to the upper end of which is attached the end of acord, X, which passes over a gi'iide-pulley, Y, pivoted to the frame of the stable or other suitable support. To the other end of the cord X is attached a weight, Z, of sufficient gravity to raise the slide W. When the slide W is closed the weight Z- is hung upon a pin, a, attached to the frame of the stable or other suitable sup-. port. To the cord E, or to a branch cord, b, attached to the said cord E, is attached a branched hook, c, which is hooked upon the weight Z, so that when the cord E is drawn 0 will draw the weight Z off the pin a, so that the slide W will be raised by the descent of the said weight Z. The upward movement of the slide W is limited by a stop, d, attached to chute U.

With this improvement, if the horses are too warm to be fed when they are put into the stable, and the attendant does not wish to return to feed them, he puts the feed in the hopper A and the hay in the chute U, and sets the mechanism to operate at such time'as he wishes the horses to receive feed. The improvement also enables the attendant to feed his horses at any desired hour in the morning without going to the stable, and thus allows him to rest longer than he otherwise could.

I am aware that it is not new to use clock mechanism in stables for regulating the time of feeding; but

What 1 claim is The combination of slides D D, arranged in the supply-receptacles and connected by a rope,

E, and the pulleys F G F, the middle pulley,

G, being carried on the weight H, operated by 25 an alarm-clock mechanism, as and for the purpose specified.

EUGENE WESSELLS.

Witnesses W. H. TILLOTSON, JOHN H. BAXTER. 

